A Season on the Appalachian Trail

by Lynn Setzer

The author gathered the thoughts of thru-hikers from Trail registers, postcards, and more than 300 personal interviews, weaving them into a portrait of the "class of 1996" and the paths they choose.

Genres: Nonfiction, Outdoors

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1997

Reviews

[Victoria Wilde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been captivated by the idea of a thru-hike since first learning of the existence of the trail while watching a PBS documentary in my early twenties. Unfortunately for me, at that time, I was a newlywed Mormon wife (now divorced and no longer Mormon) and was married to a man who had already forbade me from participating in a Russian language immersion program being offered by my university that I wanted to take part in because it involved several months in Russia and “married people don’t do that.” So when I learned about the AT I stored this away as more things married people don’t get to do. In my post-divorce and post-Mormon era, I read “Wild,” which inspired my new last name and reminded me about this earlier life goal. I remain transfixed by the idea and this book has once again reignited it.

[Vizma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different way to present AT stories - a compilation of people that were on the trail during one summer. Great reading about the different experiences on the trail!

[Jan J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting-wish I could do it!

[Mark Gaskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the honesty of this book! I can't wait to hike the AT!

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A broad collection of interviews, stories, and register lifts. Giving a better answer of the why? factor.
Realistic experiences and motivations
"Some hikers came . . . because they didn't want their lives to be a collection of 'I wish I hads.' "I got tired of listening to my father talk about the things he wished he'd done. He's too old now, too frail. And he's angry about it." (p.25-26)
and
"I've been someone's daughter and I've been someone's wife and I've been someone's employee, but I'm still not sure who I am." (p.27)

Reminding me of Last Child in the Woods "Indeed, the Appalachian Trail is a living, breathing, challenging, outdoor classroom, more powerful in its impact than any textbook could ever be." (p. 120)

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

inspiring

[Kathryn Imbriani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. The format is a little different but all in all I enjoyed this!